HEALTH NOTES: App allows deaf people to 'hear' conversations

Deaf people will be able to ‘hear’ in group conversations by using a revolutionary new wearable device. The gadget – half the size of an iPhone – beams in nanoseconds a transcript of conversations to a paired smartphone app. A deaf person then reads the conversation on the app in ‘phone message’ style, enabling them to keep up with conversations in real time.

The device, called SpeakSee, has a built-in microphone and clips on to the collar of the person who is speaking.

Several devices can be used together for group conversations.

The SpeakSee device (pictured above) has a built in micro phone and clips onto the collar of the person who is speaking

New study suggests that 70 per cent of children fail to brush both morning an evening

Fewer than a third of British children brush their teeth twice a day, says a new report. Those between the ages of four and eight are the worst offenders: 70 per cent fail to brush both morning and evening, as the NHS recommends.

The study comes as record numbers of children with tooth decay are being admitted to hospital, according to new data. Anna Edwards, from report authors Stem Protect, says: ‘Parents may think children will look after their teeth once they’re old enough to brush, but it’s not worth leaving it to chance.’

Yes please!

The Playbrush (pictured above) is set to keep kids entertained while they brush their teeth

Playbrush, from £19.99

An interactive toothbrush shown to keep children brushing for twice as long as normal. Attachments connect via bluetooth to an app, which uses games to guide brushing. playbrush.com

Bone risk in vegan diet

Living a meat and dairy-free lifestyle could seriously damage your bones. In one of the most comprehensive studies to date, vegans were seen to have significantly higher risks of bone fractures than omnivorous eaters.

Researchers have advised those following a vegan diet to take supplements to avoid poor bone health

The research, which looked at 275 bone images of more than 37,000 participants, showed those following a diet free from animal products for at least a year had unusually low bone mineral density in the neck and the spine.

Vegetarians were also found, on average, to have a bone density lower than meat-eaters, but higher than vegans.

As many as a third of Britons suffer from a fear of small spaces, according to new research. The fear – known as claustrophobia – is worse for women, affecting 36 per cent, compared to 27 per cent of men.

Many Britons said they fear crowded places (pictured above) as well as small rooms with no windows

According to a survey of 2,000 Britons, the top three nightmare scenarios are being in a small room with no windows, crowded places and a ‘tunnel’ MRI scanner.

Intriguingly, the cause of the condition is identical for a quarter of sufferers – being trapped in a confined space during childhood.

‘Our research suggests the problem is more widespread than originally thought,’ says Professor Francis Smith, medical director at screening firm Medserena, which carried out the study.

Make your own: low fat ranch dressing

Dressings can take healthy salads from dreary to delicious, but many supermarket options are high in saturated fat thanks to lashings of mayonnaise and sour cream. Try switching up a couple of ingredients for a virtually fat-free alternative.